COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Columbus Health Department on Monday confirmed that 46 students in the Worthington City School district have been diagnosed with whooping cough.

The outbreak started in early October and additional students were being tested for the disease, 10TV's Kurt Ludlow reported.

According to the Health Department, whooping cough, otherwise known as Pertussis, is a bacterial disease that spreads easily and often and begins with cold-like symptoms. The disease eventually becomes a constant cough that ends with a "whoop" sound.

Last month, the Columbus Health Department confirmed that five students at Worthington Kilbourne High School were diagnosed with whooping cough. The school district confirmed more cases late last week.

At least one student at Thomas Worthington High School was diagnosed with whooping cough, 10TV News reported.

Parent Joe Taylor told 10TV News that his daughter, Maggie, was diagnosed with the disease and recently returned to school.
 

""She's doing fine," Taylor said. "She came down with it about two weeks ago. She had to stay out of school for five days once they confirmed it was whooping cough."

On Monday, Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Teresa Long said vaccines are extremely important in thwarting the spread of whooping cough.

"Please, do not wait. Do not wait to get your children vaccinated," Long said. "A vaccine now is very important because we want to protect going into the Thanksgiving holiday.

There will be more families gathering and we do not want to see the spread of this outbreak any further."

Health officials said parents should also check immunization records to ensure that children have had the appropriate vaccines.

The booster shot, either Adecol or Boostrix, is usually available through a family physician.

Long said Worthington students who have not had the booster shot should do so immediately.

Cases in teenagers and adults may not display the traditional 'whoop' sound.

Assistant Columbus Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika LeMaile-Williams said any person showing symptoms of whooping cough should see a doctor.

"It is highly contagious and that's why we like to control it," LeMaile-Williams said. "Not only with the vaccine, but also to make sure that any individual who has been exposed to a confirmed case gets the appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Most children are immunized with the DTaP vaccine, but shots to booster the vaccine are sometimes necessary for older students.

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